Vegan is a Dirty Word | Dirty Vegan takes over Dirty Bones Soho

Popping into Dirty Bones the day before our trip to New York seemed like very apt timing; this NYC-inspired eatery takes plenty of notes from the Big Apple and serves up staple American foods alongside a wonderful cocktail list. Appetisers often do more than just satisfy the appetite and portions are generous with plenty of flavour. Dirty Vegan was born from a desire to make these very same comfort foods more accessible to everyone; catering for full-time vegans and curious meat eaters alike. Their #MeatFreeMondays takeover of the Denman Street branch of Dirty Bones catapulting this different approach to eating to a wider audience. Hosted every Monday until mid-April, it’s the perfect way to do your bit for the planet without compromising on fast food…

We kicked things off with a cocktail each; Katie went for a citrus-based martini in Don’t Call Me Clementine, while I opted for the Mutt’s Nuts; the Dirty Bones vegan whiskey sour. Starters arrived shortly after. The Chick’n Nuggets were an absolute doppelganger for their meat-based cousin; with a healthy serving of barbecue sauce you would never know these are plant based. Proving that the power is in the batter, the Vegan Buffalo Wings (made from aubergine) were equally as spectacular.

For mains, I stuck with the batter theme and couldn’t resist trying the Dirty Vegan version of fried chicken and waffles. The battered cauliflower was huge and absorbed plenty of the maple syrup that I generously poured over it. The wholemeal waffle provided an ideal base. Katie strayed onto the burger menu and went for the Classic Burger with BLT on top. We’ve had plant based burgers before and these did not disappoint; it was the juiciest burger you could ever ask for. Not bad when it didn’t contain a single gram of meat. Sides came in the form of a ridiculously tasty combo of Dirty Fries and a Vegan Mac n Cheese.

We were impossibly full at this point (and well past the 1,000 calorie mark by my own calculations) but couldn’t resist a crack at the Soft Serve for dessert. Partnering with DÁPPA, the almond and cashew-based creamery, they have produced three different pots of decadence. My Cinnamon Crunch was a beautiful blend of soft serve and spice, while Katie went full cocoa with the Dirty Fudge Brownie. The soft serve does have a subtle nutty hint to it but, apart from this, takes unmistakably like it should come from cows. A great way to square off three courses.